2016 in Philippine sports

The following is a list of notable events and developments that are related to Philippine sports in 2016.

Events

Baseball

• February 11–12 – The Philippines national baseball team bowed out in the 2017 World Baseball Classic – Qualification first leg in Sydney, Australia after two straight losses by Australia and New Zealand in the elimination phase.
• March 14 – The La Salle Green Batters beats the three-peat champions Ateneo Blue Batters in the finals of UAAP Season 78 baseball tournament marking the first championship title of DLSU in 13 years.

Basketball

Professional

File:SanMiguelBeermenWinningVictory.jpg

The San Miguel Beermen huddle after Game 6 of the 2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

• January 20 – The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board unanimously approves the sale of the Barako Bull Energy team franchise to Davao-based petroleum firm Phoenix Petroleum. Phoenix Petroleum PBA Team, composed of former Barako Bull players and coaching staff, had started playing in the 2016 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
• February 3 – The San Miguel Beermen claims the 2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup title after beating the Alaska Aces in the finals series. The Beermen is the first PBA team to come back from a 0–3 deficit.
• February 13 – Returning Tropang TNT import Ivan Johnson fined ₱250,000 and has been banned from playing the PBA after cursing and disrespecting league commmissioner Chito Narvasa in a game against Meralco Bolts. Johnson, later apologizes to Narvasa due to the incident. It was shortened into a one-season suspension and the fine reduced into ₱150,000.
• March 3 – Former PBA head coach Joel Banal appoints as the new league commissioner of the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League (PCBL), replacing Ato Batolato.

Collegiate

• January 21 – Aspirant's Cup, the first conference of the 2016 season of the PBA D-League, commences with nine competing teams.
• February 1
  • The San Sebastian Stags appoints CEU Scorpions coach Egay Macaraya as their new head coach in preparation for NCAA Season 92 basketball tournament.
  • UST Growling Tigers coach Bong dela Cruz denies the involvement on game-fixing and physical abuse incidents against his players during his tenure as head coach.

High School

• March 4 – The National University Bullpups scores a victory after beating De La Salle Zobel in the finals of the UAAP Season 78 juniors basketball tournament, reclaims their championship after one season.
• March 13–17 – The national championships of the National Basketball Training Center League were held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay. High school teams from the country collided for the championship.

Exhibition

• February 4 – Former UAAP two-time MVP Kiefer Ravena led the Mighty Sports team as they reclaims the Republica Cup title after beating powerhouse Hobe Macway team in the finals game held in Malolos, Bulacan.

Women's Basketball

• January 9 – Blackwater Elite women's basketball team (Allana Lim, Camille Sambille, France Mae Cabinbin and Camilla Denise Escoto) rules the inaugural 2015–16 PBA Dickies Women's 3x3 Basketball tournament, after beating Ginebra in Finals Game 2, 7-3.

Boxing

• February 17 – Nike drops Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao on the list of endorsers of the shoe brand due to the Boxer-politician's stand against Same-sex marriage.
• February 20 – Jonathan Refugio upsets against Richard Claveras to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) International light flyweight title, after a unanimous decision victory on their fight held in Taguig Sports Complex.
• February 28 – Filipino boxers Mark Magsayo and Albert Pagara both scored double victories, after beating their opponents via knockout and unanimous decision in Pinoy Pride 35 held at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino, Cebu.
• April 10 – Filipino boxing champion and senatorial aspirant Manny Pacquiao will be facing Timothy Bradley in his final fight held at the MGM Grand Las Vegas before the boxer's retirement from the sport. Pacquiao scored an emphatic victory over American Tim Bradley, sealing his 21-year professional career with a vintage performance in his farewell to boxing.
• April 23 – Nonito Donaire defeats Zsolt Bedak via technical knockout in Cebu City.
• May 25 – John Riel Casimero became the Philippines newest world boxing champion after knocking out Thai boxer Amnat Ruenroeng for the IBF flyweight title in China.
• May 28 – Donnie Nietes finally got the spectacular hometown title defense he had always wanted as he battered Mexico's Raul Garcia into submission after 5 rounds at the La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City.

Collegiate sports

• January 13 – The 23rd season of the National Capital Region Athletic Association, with the theme "Green and Go at 23", opens at the De La Salle University-Dasmarinas Gym. Basketball and Volleyball are the primary sports of the collegiate sports event.
• March 25 – The NCAA Season 91 cheerleading competition and closing ceremonies were simultaneously held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay.

Cockfighting

• January 30−February 7 − Known as the biggest cockfighting event in the world, The 6th World Slasher Cup, an invitational 8-cock derby featuring fighting cocks from 15 countries, is held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City.

Cycling

• February 18–21 – The 2016 4-stage Le Tour de Filipinas was kicked-off. However, the Stage 1 of the UCI-sanctioned cycling event temporarily stopped by the race organizers due to road repairs by the DPWH and traffic jam in the Tiaong, Quezon area. After four stages (Antipolo–Legazpi), Kazakh rider Oleg Zemlyakov of Vino 4ever Sko crowns as the champion of the LTdF 2016.
• February–April – The 6th season of the Ronda Pilipinas kicks-off with three separate legs in Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon.
• March 17–20 – Tagaytay hosted the World University Cycling Championship.

Football

• January 31 – Negros Occidental FA beats Davao FA, 1-nil to take home to inaugural crown of the PFF Smart U-22 Amateur Football Championship held in Bacolod City.
• February 6 – FEU-Diliman reclaims the title of the UAAP Junior's Football tournament after beating Ateneo, 6-1.

Golf

• January 8 – Jobim Carlos claims his 2nd straight championship title in the men's division of Philippine Amateur (Stroke Play) Open Golf Championship. Carlos will be moving to the professional ranks after the tournament.
• January 22 – Princess Superal, pools a 214 one-shot and wins the title of the Philippine Ladies Open Golf Championship at Tagaytay Midlands ending the domination of Thailand female golfers in the tournament.

Horse racing

• January 17 – "Low Profile" (owned by Narciso Morales and ridden by Mark Alvarez) swept other opponents and won the 2016 Philracom Commissioner's Cup held in the Metro Turf Racing Club, in Malvar, Batangas.

Marathon/Duathlon/Triathlon events

• January 10 – Mark Anthony Oximar of Antipolo City and Cinderella Agana-Lorenzo of Roxas, Capiz wins the 21-kilometer men's and women's divisions in the 12th Bull Run, organized by the Philippine Stock Exchange.
• February 6
  • Runners participate in the Million Volunteer Run 3, organized by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), simultaneously held in 59 sites in the country, particularly in the SM Mall of Asia Complex, Bonifacio Global City, Marikina Heights and Quezon City Memorial Circle.
  • Triathlete Bradley Weiss of South Africa defends his title of the XTERRA Off-road Triathlon held in Legazpi, Albay.
• February 7 – More than 20,000 runners participate in the 2016 Condura Skyway "Run for Hero" Marathon for the benefit of HERO Foundation. Two runners, including an Philippine Army major collapsed, and later died during the race.

Mixed Martial Arts

• January 16 – Jenel Lausa bags the vacant Pacific Xtreme Combat flyweight belt after his victory over Team Lakay's Crisanto Pitpitunge in the main fight of PXC 51 held at the Solaire Resort & Casino.
• January 29 − Geje Eustaquio of Team Lakay knocks out Malaysian MMA artist Saiful Merican in an undercard fight of ONE Championship: Clash of Heroes held in Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Another Team Lakay fighter Eduard Folayang defeats Tetsuya Yamada via decision in the co-main event.
• February 20 – Filipino MMA fighter Jimmy "The Spencer" Yabo defeated Bashir Ahmad after a perfectly 21-second knockout victory in the undercard of One: Tribe of Warriors held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• April 23 – The Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) will hold its maiden event for 2016 entitled "URCC 27: Rebellion" to be held at the Marriot Hotel Grand Ballroom, Pasay.

Multi-sporting events

• January 22 – KABAKA's founder and Manila mayoralty candidate Amado Bagatsing officially opens the 7th KABAKA INter-Schools Sportsfest at the Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay. Athletes from 40 elementary and high schools in Manila competed in basketball, volleyball, chess and dance competitions.
• February 13–March 5 – Sporting teams from the companies under the group of Manuel V. Pangilinan competes in different sports in the 7th MVP Olympics.
• March 7–11 – The Philippine National Games were hosted by Pangasinan.
• April 9–16 – The Albay province hosted the 2016 Palarong Pambansa.

Powerlifting

• January 30–31 – National powerlifter Mark Espino achieves the new 280 kg. record in squat during the two-day Duaform 5-in-1 Powerlifting Championships held in Robinson's Townmall, Malabon City.

Squash

• January 11–17 – The Philippines squash team under the helm of Squash Rackets Association of the Philippines (SRAP), claims one gold, one silver and two bronze medals in the 2nd South East Asian Cup Squash Championship held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Speed skating

• February 21 – Kathryn Magno won the first gold medal for the Philippines in an international tournament hosted outside the country by winning the 500m women's event at the 2016 ISU South East Asia Cup. She later won two more gold medals in the 1,500m and 1,000m events.

Swimming

• February 7–9 – The swimmers from the Philippine Swimming League (PSL) bags 26 overall medals (13 golds, 7 silvers and 6 bronzes) in the 2016 Tokyo Winter Swimming Championship held in Tokyo, Japan.

Tennis

• January 8 – Young tennis players Jake Martin and Alexandra Eala dominates the boys and girls 16-under divisions of the 27th Andrada Cup age-group tennis championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
• January 18–24 – The inaugural tournament of the Manila Challenger is held in the newly renovated Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. Former Top 8 best tennis player Mikhail Youzhny bags the inaugural Challenger's singles division title, while the tandem of Johan Brunström and Frederik Nielsen copped the doubles title.
• February 27 – The National University Bulldogs men's and women's tennis teams claims their back-to-back championship in both divisions of the UAAP Season 78 lawn tennis tournament.

Taekwondo

• April 16–17 – The Asian Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament was hosted by Manila.

Volleyball

• January 10 – 60 13-and-under and 17-and-under teams from Metro Manila competes in the 20th Women's Volleyball League, organized by the BEST Center. Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI) president Joey Romasanta was the guest speaker of the opening ceremonies.
• January 26 – The UPHSD Altas claims the NCAA men's volleyball title for Season 91 after beating EAC Generals in a five-setter do-or-die match, 25-22, 23-25, 29-27, 22-25, 17-15. Perpetual Help's Rey Taneo, Jr. hailed as the Finals MVP while EAC's Howard Mojica is the Season's MVP.
• January 28 − The Benilde Blazers seals their first championship title in the NCAA women's volleyball in Season 91 against thrice-to-beat San Sebastian Lady Stags in 4 games. Jeanette Panaga acclaimed the Finals MVP title.
• January 31 – The UAAP Season 78 volleyball tournaments officially opens at the Filoil Flying V Arena, San Juan.
• February 6–7 – Team Circle claims the inaugural title of the 1st Quezon City Pride Volleyball Cup, organized by the Quezon City Pride Council and the Philippine Super Liga, claimed to be as the first volleyball league in the Philippines for the LGBT community.
• February 18 – The 2016 PSL Invitational Cup opens at the Filoil Flying V Arena, San Juan. 7 teams including two new expansion teams and a guest team from Thailand will be compete in the tournament.
• April 30 – The La Salle Lady Spikers took home their ninth championship trophy of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament after getting the better of rivals the Ateneo Lady Eagles, 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Beach Volleyball

• January 30–31 – The inaugural event of the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour held at the Cabugao Beach Resort in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. Jovelyn Gonzaga and Nerissa Bautista of Philippine Army crown as the champions of the two-day event.
• February 14 – The San Sebastian Stags women's beach volleyball team of Gretchel Soltones and Alyssa Eroa crowns as the champions of the NCAA Season 91 women's beach volleyball tournament held in Subic, Zambales. Mapua Cardinals bags the championship title in the men's division.

Predicted and scheduled events

• June, Basketball − The general elections of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) will be held. The 25-man board will then elect the successor of Manny V. Pangilinan as the president of the basketball's local governing body.
• July 27–28 – The inaugural edition of the Philippine Beach Games will be held at the SM Sands by the Bay, Pasay City, coinciding with the POC Olympic Day.
• June or July, Basketball – The inaugural season of the Countrywide Basketball League will commence.
• June 18–19, Motorsports – Monster Jam will return to the Philippines for a two-day event to be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
• July 4–10, Basketball – The Philippines will served as one of the three host countries of the 2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men.
• August 6–22 – The Philippine delegation will be participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics to be held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Track and field athlete Eric Cray and boxing athletes Charly Suarez and Rogen Ladon are the representative of the Philippines for the Olympic Games.
• September 3–11, Volleyball – The Philippines will host the AVC Club Volleyball Championship.
• September 9, Wrestling – The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will return to the Philippines for a one-night only event at the Mall of Asia Arena.
• October 18–23, Volleyball – The Philippines will host the 10th FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
• November 19–November 26, Football – The Philippines will host the group stage of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup.
• November 25 – Philippine Olympic Committee elections will be held.

Recognitions

Philippine Sports Hall of Fame 2016, organized by the Philippine Sports Commission, held on January 25, 2016 at Century Park Hotel, Manila.

Recipient	Sport
Felicisimo Ampon	Tennis
Kurt Bachmann	Basketball
Jacinto Cayco	Swimming
Haydee Coloso-Espino	Swimming
Salvador del Rosario	Weightlifting
Raymundo Deyro	Lawn Tennis
Adolfo Feliciano	Shooting
Martin Gison	Shooting
Isaac Gomez	Athletics
Johnny Jose	Lawn Tennis
Mohammad Mala	Swimming
Ed Ocampo	Basketball
Gerardo Rosario	Swimming
Inocencia Solis	Athletics
Mona Sulaiman	Athletics
Mariano Tolentino	Basketball
Eugene Torre	Chess

Collegiate Basketball Awards, organized by the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps, held on January 26, 2016 at Saisaki-Kamayan in Greenhills, San Juan.

Award	Recipient	Reference
Smart Player of the Year	Mac Belo (FEU Tamaraws)
Mythical Five	Kiefer Ravena (Ateneo Blue Eagles)
	Allwell Oraeme (Mapua Cardinals)
	Kevin Ferrer (UST Growling Tigers)
	Scottie Thompson (UPHSD Altas)
	Mac Belo (FEU Tamaraws)
Super Senior Awards	Baser Amer (San Beda Red Lions)
	Mark Cruz (Letran Knights)
	Mike Tolomia (FEU Tamaraws)
Pivotal Player of the Year	Kevin Racal (Letran Knights)
	Roger Pogoy (FEU Tamaraws)
Impact Player of the Year	Art dela Cruz (San Beda Red Lions)
	Ed Daquioag (UST Growling Tigers)
ACCEL Court General	Jiovanni Jalalon (Arellano Chiefs)
Gatorade Energy Player	Jeron Teng (DLSU Green Archers)
Coach of the Year	Aldin Ayo (Letran Knights)
	Nash Racela (FEU Tamaraws)
Lifetime Achievement Award	Aric del Rosario (UPHSD Altas)

2015 PSA Annual Awards, organized by Philippine Sportswriters Association held on February 13, 2016 at the One Esplanade, Pasay City.

Award	Winner	Sport/Team	References
Sportsmen of the Year	Nonito Donaire	Boxing
	Donnie Nietes
	Miguel Tabuena	Golf
President's Award	Gilas Pilipinas (Philippines men's national basketball team)	Basketball
Mr. Basketball	Calvin Abueva	Basketball (Alaska Aces/Gilas Pilipinas)
	Terrence Romeo	Basketball (GlobalPort Batang Pier/Gilas Pilipinas)
Ms. Volleyball	Alyssa Valdez	Volleyball (Ateneo Lady Eagles/PLDT/National Team)
NSA of the Year	Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP)	Wushu
Lifetime Achievement Award	Filomeno Codiñera	Baseball/Softball
Executive of the Year	Wilfred Uytengsu	Basketball (Alaska Aces governor)

2015 Spin.PH Sports Awards, organized by Sports Interactive Network Philippines (Spin.ph), held on January 30, 2016 at Marriot Hotel, Pasay City.

Award	Winner	Sport/Team	References
Sportsman of the Year	Calvin Abueva	Basketball
Sportsman Who Change The Game	Alyssa Valdez	Volleyball
Sportsman Who Take the Lead	Tab Baldwin	Basketball (Philippines men's national basketball team coach)
Sportsmen Who Succeed As One	Letran Knights	Basketball
Sportsman Who Embody the Filipino Fighting Spirit	Donnie Nietes	Boxing
Sportsman Who Inspire Hope	Kobe Paras	Basketball
Sportsman Who Defy The Odds	Ernie Gawilan	Swimming (A PWD swimmer)
Sportsmen Who Care	UP Fighting Maroons	Basketball
Sportsman Who Excel Academically	JR Gallanza	Basketball
Sportsman Who Make It Happen	Manuel V. Pangilinan	Basketball (President of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas)

13th Golden Wheel Awards, organized by the Golden Wheel Foundation, held on February 27, 2016, at the Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier, Taguig.

Award	Winner
13th Golden Wheel Driver of the Year
Hall of Fame Awardee	Jose Armando Eduque

Sports television specials

Main article: List of Philippine television specials aired in 2016 § Sports

Deaths

January

• January 16 – Hermie Rivera, veteran boxing journalist and manager of Luisito Espinosa (b. 1938)
• January 27 – Carlos Loyzaga, former basketball player and coach (b. 1930)

February

• February 2 – Rogie Maglinas, former UP Fighting Maroons football scholar (b. 1996)
• February 5 – Ciriaco Cañete, Cebuano Eskrima artist (b. 1919)
• February 18 – Victorico Chaves, former president of the Philippine Amateur Volleyball Association (b.1933)

March

• March 22 – Cecil Hecanova, former Philippine Sports Commission chairman (1990–1992)

See also

• 2016 in the Philippines
• 2016 in sports